Rocky having belly issues

[pappy1264]

He doesn't want to eat, last two meals, been battling. He is pooping, although not a ton. His belly isn't doing the buddha thing it normally does with bloat, but when I rub I can feel a nickle sized ball on his lower left side (which is the side he still has the full leg, but had lots of bites on. That side is very bruised on the leg itself, but not onto the belly.) Last night when he was not pooping, I have him pedialyte. He started pooping this morning so went back to the gm/yogurt (which is what he has been on). He is refusing the nipple, so I know he is hurting. I have been trying to rub his belly, his back, etc. My issue is, I cannot soak in water because of the amp! What should I do? Never dealt with this (amp and tummy issues together). Last feeding, I got two into him (that was at 3.5 hours from last feeding), before he really would not take it. So I waited a couple of hours, pottied him in between, got more poop out, then just tried again, he wants nothing to do with it. Getting worried!

[SammysMom]

If you can make a little hot water bottle with a rubber glove or something similar or even a small rice buddy and hold it on his tummy? See if it helps his tummy... Poor guy...:grouphug:Love_Icon:grouphug
Did they do an x-ray?

[Loopy Squirrel]

He doesn't want to eat, last two meals, been battling. He is pooping, although not a ton. His belly isn't doing the buddha thing it normally does with bloat, but when I rub I can feel a nickle sized ball on his lower left side (which is the side he still has the full leg, but had lots of bites on. That side is very bruised on the leg itself, but not onto the belly.) Last night when he was not pooping, I have him pedialyte. He started pooping this morning so went back to the gm/yogurt (which is what he has been on). He is refusing the nipple, so I know he is hurting. I have been trying to rub his belly, his back, etc. My issue is, I cannot soak in water because of the amp! What should I do? Never dealt with this (amp and tummy issues together). Last feeding, I got two into him (that was at 3.5 hours from last feeding), before he really would not take it. So I waited a couple of hours, pottied him in between, got more poop out, then just tried again, he wants nothing to do with it. Getting worried!

What meds is he on if any for the amp.?

[pappy1264]

He is on baytril, metacam and tramadol. Baytril and metacam once a day, tramadol twice (morning and night.)

[Loopy Squirrel]

I would really try to hydrate him more and see if that helps. With having such a major surgery, blood loss, and his body temp changing during and after surgery it can set him up for GI problems. The metacam can also be dehydrating and hard on his kidneys. I would really try to hydrate even through SQ if he won't take it orally. Aside from massages and stimulation the only other thing that moves the gut is hydration and possibly Reglan if his digestive system really shuts down. With larger animals like cats & dogs we would put them on an IV drip prior, during, and after surgery because anesthesia can affect blood pressure which can in turn affect the kidneys, so hydration is a must.

[lilidukes]

Pappy been following you two. :grouphug:grouphug

How about just some sugar water. Boost energy levels
Besides I'm sure he's hurting and the metacam
and tramadol are making him a little sluggish.

I agree with a mini hot water bottle idea.

:grouphug:grouphug:grouphug

[pappy1264]

Ok, will try some sugar water in a bit. Going to try pottying him again. Poor little bub, he has been through so much, this is the last thing he needs. Thanks guys. Will also see if I can make up a hot water bottle with a latex glove like they did at the vets.

[pappy1264]

Only got 2 cc's of oral fluids (sugar water). Will try again in a little while. I am worried. Something is not right. He was doing so good, please pray.

[Fireweed]

Only got 2 cc's of oral fluids (sugar water). Will try again in a little while. I am worried. Something is not right. He was doing so good, please pray.
:grouphug:grouphug:grouphug

[pappy1264]

I think he isn't peeing (or peeing much, I did see some, but not much just now). I think what I am feeling is his bladder. I will keep trying to get him to go. Will call vets first thing tomorrow to have him seen. I am praying he does not have a blockage. Please pray. Again, with those staples in the amp, putting him in warm water is a no go. This is awful. I am flashing back to Furter. Praying he will be ok, but won't lie, I am very scared right now.

[pappy1264]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utgeGFod8r4

should I try to do this?

[MollyBear361]

prayers sent :Love_Icon

[pappy1264]

Ok, did get some more pee out (did a little gentle rolling pressure around bladder, then used a dry cotton ball, and got some out. Will do more in a little while. I was questioning his peeing, as there were a couple times I took him out to feed, and he was wet and I never saw the usual squirt you get with these guys, more of a 'drip', so now questioning if he can pee w/o expressing his bladder. He is pooping. I will do this a few more times and then see if he will take more fluids. He isn't dehydrated from what I can tell, but know that can change very quickly.

[Fireweed]

Ok, did get some more pee out (did a little gentle rolling pressure around bladder, then used a dry cotton ball, and got some out. Will do more in a little while. I was questioning his peeing, as there were a couple times I took him out to feed, and he was wet and I never saw the usual squirt you get with these guys, more of a 'drip', so now questioning if he can pee w/o expressing his bladder. He is pooping. I will do this a few more times and then see if he will take more fluids. He isn't dehydrated from what I can tell, but know that can change very quickly.
Good! Sounds like you are on to something here... :grouphug

[sassysquirrel]

Precious was on TMS oral suspension twice a day
and Metacam (once a day) only if needed. I did give it to her
for 3 days after surgery. Just in case. Although Precious felt
so much better after her leg was removed - she never really acted like she was in pain. I gave the Metacam once for 3 days only to prevent pain. The vet did stress to only give the Metacam if I was sure she was fully hydrated.

Precious was on the TMS oral suspension until the stitches came out. Which I think was around 10 days.

Hope little Rocky starts to get better.
:grouphug:Love_Icon:grouphug

***Precious was on Enrofloxacin before surgery trying to prevent infection in her hurt foot

[pappy1264]

Thank you. Going to be a long night. Going to try to keep expressing his bladder a bit at a time (to hopefully not cause more inflammation.) I think the leg (pain) is good, but I know he is hurting from the bladder, as he keeps lip smacking. I hate seeing him hurting after all he has been through. Will keep working at it, and then go to vets in the morning.

[SammysMom]

God bless, Mary...:grouphug:Love_Icon:grouphug

[pappy1264]

Just expressed more (hate to say this way, but have experience, since I had to express my paralyzed glider, Jake, last year.) I will do more in a bit (I know it is painful!) About to give his night time pain meds (tramadol) so hopefully that will help a little. I am praying this is not a permanent thing, hoping it is leftover nerve stuff from the bites, but will see what vet says. Please keep the prayers coming. This guy cannot seem to catch a break! I love him so much and I hate doing it, because I know it hurts but has to be done or he will go into organ failure. Its not blocked, as it can be expressed manually (unlike poor Furter, he had to be needle aspirated.) Wonder if putting a cath in for a bit to help keep things draining will be an option, as really hoping this has to do with all the bruising he has from the bites (but there is always the chance of of those bites caused damage to a nerve that is associated with peeing.) Keep those prayers coming...going to be a long night.

[SammysMom]

Is it possible that the amount of pain meds is too heavy and it is causing his bladder to "sleep"?

[pappy1264]

I don't know, will ask vet. I know she had me drop the metacam down from .02 to .01 (1x day) as she was concerned with how much pain meds he was on (before the amp he def. needed it, but not after.) The 'leg' doesn't even seem to bother him at all. I have never heard of pain meds causing this, but I suppose it could be. Thanks Gayle, will bring that up to vet.

[lilidukes]

Mary he did catch a big break when he found his way to you:grouphug:grouphug:grouphug

[pappy1264]

Thank you. Just did it again and got a bunch more (he is not happy), gave him his pain meds, he is back on the heat. Will do more in a bit (I know it hurts but once I can get it to a fairly normal level, I can just keep on top of it.) I feel awful, as I believe this was happening and I missed it (he was peeing, just not alot, although with the drip drip type of pee it is hard to judge). Just thankful something good did come out of everything poor Jake went through, as I learned how to do this on a small animal (have to know what you are squeezing, or you can cause more damage!) I will give him a break and let him rest, I am sure his bladder feels a little better with that out (but know it will fill back up again). Did I mention it will be a long night (I am just about to wolf down my steak tips and salad hubby made for me 3 hours ago.:grin3) Will talk to vet tomorrow and see if xray or ultrasound can be done (they didn't do it before surgery, as he was peeing, so again, hoping this is a temp. thing).

[Nancy in New York]

Mary, this just hit me so I looked it up.
You know when you are in the hospital and they say you can't go home until you pee?
Do you know why?
From the anesthesia. I will bet this is Rocky's
dilemma.
I sure hope that you find out something tomorrow. :grouphug


"In recovery rooms all over the country....


"You can't go home until you pee."

While this seems like a simple condition to meet, many people have bladder retention after general anesthesia. This frustrating situation is called POUR -- post operative urinary retention and usually resolves with minor interventions, but can cause overdistended bladders and may lead to urinary tract infections and hospital admissions in some cases."

[sid'smommy]

A little diluted cranberry juice ??

[sid'smommy]

I remember seeing that he was given benadryl also... that, along with pain meds and anesthesia are probably the culprit. I would not only cut down the dosage, but also the frequency. I would definately not be using pain meds in the evening.

[SammysMom]

That is what I was thinking too Sids Mommy...

[pappy1264]

He never had benedryl. I did give him pain meds last night but will hold off this morning until speaking w/vet. I wonder if they will need to put a cath in for a day to get things going (and I do know about this and anesthesia, have had it happen to me twice, it was not fun.) I mean, I have had him since Thursday, if he was not peeing for 4 days, he would have been in a lot worse shape (if not already gone) so may be right. Just woke up (was a late night), checked on him, he is warm and wiggly. When I rubbed his belly, his one little back foot did the 'scratch the air' thing....God, how I love him!

On a side note, I went back and reread Angel's thread in Rainbow section. I have been missing her something awful and I prayed to her last night to please help Rocky. I can't loose him. I just can't.

Thanks guys. Going to go take care of him and see how he is. I tried to give him some diluted gm last night, he wanted no part of it. Do you think I should use something else? He is pooping. Which brings me to my next question to ponder. IF this was a nerve damage thing, would he be able to poop on his own, but not pee? May sound stupid, but have never dealt with this. So for those who have (or have had) squirrels they had to manually express, were they able to poop on their own, but just not pee?

[Toddy]

:Love_Icon Praying for Rocky :Love_Icon :grouphug:grouphug

[pappy1264]

Just pottied and gave baytril only (holding off on pain meds until after speaking w/vet). Bladder was not as full (although he would not take anything orally last night). He did pee the 'regular way' some, but I also expressed his bladder. It didn't feel very big, got several drops out. Going to attempt to give some sugar water first and see if he will take that, if not, after I bring son to work, will bring by Jodi's and possibly give some sub-q, depending on when vet will be in (exotic vet opens at 8, but they are over an hour away, so hoping vet up here can at least check on the bladder issue.) Keep those prayers coming and again anyone with experience with a squirrel who needed to be manually expressed, were they able to poop on their own, in other words can one work and one not (if this is from nerve swelling/damage?)

[lilidukes]

I've had adults who pooped on their own but I still
had to express the bladder. Metacam can be very
rough on small organs.

Best wishes today:grouphug

[pappy1264]

HE'S PEEING!! After the 3 cc's of fluids this morning, I just pottied him and it took a bit, but he peed a lot! Then even though he fought me tooth and nail (*for the first 3 cc's) he took 6 cc's of diluted gm formula (with the heavy cream). I will be pottying him every hour to make sure that bladder empties. I think after the surgery, I may not have been pottying him long enough, and it built up, to where he just couldn't go. Spoke to vet, she told me to stop tramadol, only continue with Baytril for 10 days, and metacam she wants him on for 2 weeks. She said his little body has lots of inflammation from everything, and the metacam will help with that. Plan is to feed on schedule, potty every hour to make sure it is getting out, so he is not lying with a full bladder from one feeding to the next and give some extra fluids in between feedings. So that is the plan.

[Nancy in New York]

212628:banana

[TubeDriver]

:thumbsup So glad he is able to pee! Poor little fellow, he has been through so much. :( You are his angel, watching and caring for him!


Keep on fighting Rocky!!!




Note: Metecam is associated with acute renal failure in cats.


Symptoms include:

Disorientation

Incoordination

Decreased urine production

Straining to urinate

Loss of appetite

Lethargy

Vomiting

Weakness

Changes in water consumption and urination

[Fireweed]

Oh, goooood news! :hyper What a relief. :grouphug:grouphug

[MJS]

:thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup

[pappy1264]

I was told that the whole deal with metacam was from a study with cats, where they gave them huge doses and then saw the renal issues. Making sure they are well hydrated is a must, but in and of itself, it is a safe drug.

Thanks guys! I am feeling a little more relieved (he is too! :crazy) I was so worried about him. But I think (pray) I have a handle on this and it was just a minor speed bump in his recovery.

And NINY...THAT SMILEY IS HILARIOUS!!!!! lol

[Toddy]

Excellent news! Go Rocky Go! :multi

[pappy1264]

:grin2

[Nemehoto]

Anesthesia and or severe trauma can cause swelling of the renal tubes, urea tube, or temporary paralysis of the bladder. Some painkillers can also cause a tightening of the muscles that control the bladder and bowel (need to pee and usually poop before you can come home after having a baby or surgery for humans) My vet won't let animals leave until they have done their business after anesthesia. (wish he did squirrels :( he's a very good pet vet)

This is just an opinion... If rocky has had trauma to the lower half of his body and he is now peeing at least a little on his own in a normal manner. I would recommend that you used a warm wet cotton ball to encourage him to pee versus actually expressing his bladder he could be bruised or injured in that area that the massage for expressing may irritate or cause pain. I am glad that he is feeling better

[pappy1264]

Thank you. I have not had to express since the other night, he is peeing on stimulation now. I think it was from anesthesia, and I didn't notice he wasn't peeing it all out, and over the day, it built up to where he couldn't pee. He is doing great now, even started 'guppy mouth' this morning when eating for the first time! lol

[Fireweed]

What a relief. Good news, Mary. :grouphug Go, Little Rock, go! :Love_Icon